Tech evolves. Paint was replaced with other tools I think in the newer Windows. MP3 is not dead, but the patents I believe expired completely in the US this year (EU was 5 years ago), so they can't charge for them anymore. Reading the article might help!

Incredible how of all the old IM mediums the only one left is ICQ. I remember using ICQ and it being superseded but all the others. Not it's the only one left. Yahoo messenger, MSN/Windows messenger, AIM, all gone. ICQ is actually still popular in Russia and Brazil. I still have my 7 digit ICQ number.

Paltalk is also still around. MSN merged with Skype which is also still around.

Google chat was nice and simple. The replacement (hangouts) is inferior IMO

Why is it incredible? Who would use these messengers with texting, Facebook messenger, and DM features in every other social networking app. Times change, technology leaves the old in the past.

The incredible part is that ICQ still survives as the others died.

Also, things like KIK, Whatsapp, and Viber are popular outside the US. They basically are IM progs that take the phone contacts. So if you're texting internationally and you're not FB friends with someone, those apps are worth their weight in gold, not just figuratively speaking but literally as well as you don't spend money texting back and forth between nations. Also they allow you to have free phone calls (again, without going through facebook which is not always the most reliable for calls but just going through the Internet). ICQ evolved to a similar role especially in Russia and Brazil.

The yahoo messanger chat rooms were awesome though. Those shut down because of To Catch a Predator as they used to use that to fish out would be pedophiles. The reason we never got anything similar to yahoo chat rooms is because of this. This is why there's no such thing as facebook chat rooms.

IRC still lives. Can't ever shut that down or control that because much like usenet there is no "heart" so to speak. The Facebooks and Twitters of the world can at least in theory go out of business. But Never IRC or Usenet.